Adam sat perfectly still across the small restaurant table from Kim, the older man’s grim warning about the business world being a "jungle" still echoing in the air.

  The casual background noise of the restaurant – distant chatter, the clink of glasses, street sounds filtering through the window – seemed to fade away as Adam processed the harsh reality Kim had laid bare. He had been naive, dangerously so.

  Kim watched Adam closely, his sharp eyes gauging the younger man’s reaction. He saw the flicker of understanding, the dawning realization in Adam’s expression.

  Kim had seen ambitious young people crash and burn before, chewed up by the ruthless machinery of corporate power plays. He wasn’t sure if Adam was just another foolhardy kid destined for failure, or something else entirely.

  But Adam’s earlier display of wealth, however mysterious, and his claim of owning an oil reserve, however unbelievable, kept Kim intrigued, despite his better judgment.

  Adam’s silence stretched for a moment, his mind racing. He knew Kim was waiting, expecting… something. Proof? A better plan? Maybe just a sign that Adam wasn't completely clueless about the danger he was walking into.

  Kim leaned forward again, breaking the silence, his voice low but intense. "So, Adam," he pressed, "you heard me. This isn't some simple game. It's high stakes. You claim you have this massive resource, but right now, your 'company' is just you. You have powerful enemies already. You nearly walked into the lion's den and handed them everything on a silver platter." He paused, his gaze sharp.

  "Tell me honestly, how do you expect to possibly compete? How do you plan to even survive long enough to try?"

  Kim immediately picked up on Adam's slight hesitation before he could even form a full answer. It confirmed his suspicion. Kim's eyes widened slightly, not with anger this time, but with a kind of exasperated disbelief mixed with genuine concern. He threw his hands up slightly in a gesture of frustration.

  "Adam, think about it! This is a huge disadvantage for us!" Kim exclaimed, his voice rising slightly with urgency, though he kept it low enough not to attract attention from other tables.

  "We have nothing! No real office, no staff, no engineers, no lawyers, no security, no political connections! And you want to go up against Green Refinery? A company that has all of that, plus decades of experience and likely the government in their pocket?" He leaned forward again, his tone sharp, challenging.

  "Forget competing – how do you even plan to get the oil out of the ground without them noticing and shutting you down before you even start? You need manpower, Adam! Skilled people! And you need the right infrastructure – drills, pipes, storage tanks, transport! Where is all that going to come from?"

  His questions weren't just questions; they felt like accusations, highlighting the gaping holes in Adam’s ambitious plan. It was a direct challenge to the very foundation of Adam's dream.

  Hearing Kim's valid concerns, laid out so starkly, Adam felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He knew Kim was right about the challenges. But he couldn't afford to let Kim, his only potential ally, his chosen CEO, lose faith right now.

  Discouragement was contagious, and Adam needed Kim’s expertise and, frankly, his belief – even if that belief had to be built on a shaky foundation for now. He needed Kim on his side if this incredibly risky venture had any chance at all.

  Taking a calming breath, Adam forced a confident expression onto his face, pushing aside his own internal anxieties. In a calm voice that deliberately hid the storm of uncertainty churning inside him, Adam replied smoothly, "Don't worry so much about the initial setup, Mr. Kim. Like I told you, funding isn't an issue. I have plenty of money." He tried to make it sound like vast wealth could solve any problem.

  Kim just shook his head slowly, clearly unimpressed, maybe even a little frustrated by Adam's apparent oversimplification. "Adam, you're still not getting it," he said, his voice patient but firm, like explaining something obvious to a child.

  "Money isn't magic. It can't solve everything, especially not overnight, and especially not in secret. Yes, money helps, but we need people – experienced engineers who know how to drill safely and efficiently, geologists who can analyze the reserve properly, technicians to operate the machinery, security to protect the site. And more importantly," Kim stressed, tapping a finger on the table for emphasis,

  "we need the equipment itself! We're talking specialized drilling rigs, pumps, pipelines, storage solutions… This isn't stuff you can just buy off the shelf at the local hardware store! Especially not if you're trying to keep a low profile from a giant like Green Refinery!"

  His words were measured but carried the undeniable weight of experience. He was outlining the complex, expensive, and highly regulated reality of the crude oil industry – a reality Adam, despite his secret power, had perhaps underestimated in his initial excitement.

  As Kim spoke about the equipment, he suddenly stopped mid-sentence. His eyes sharpened, focusing intently on Adam’s face again, a new suspicion dawning in his expression, as if a horrible thought had just occurred to him.

  "Wait a minute…" he said slowly, leaning closer, his voice dropping to an incredulous whisper. "You… You do have the equipment, right? You said you discovered the reserve. Don't tell me… don't tell me you haven't even arranged for the basic extraction equipment yet? You don't actually have any drills or pumps on site?" The disbelief in his voice was palpable. He looked genuinely alarmed now.

  Adam felt another jolt of panic. This was the lie he’d hoped to avoid confronting directly. He didn't have any equipment set up. How could he? He'd only just finalized the land purchase! His plan involved using his Copy & Paste skill eventually, perhaps copying existing machinery or even raw materials to build his own infrastructure secretly.

  But he couldn't explain that to Kim. Admitting he had nothing would likely shatter Kim's confidence completely. He had to maintain the illusion, at least for now.

  He saw where Kim's mind was going – towards the logistical nightmare of acquiring such heavy, specialized machinery without alerting the competition. Adam decided to play along, just for a moment, letting Kim voice the problems before Adam offered his (false) solution. He needed Kim to stay invested, to believe this was difficult but possible.

  Kim, assuming Adam's silence confirmed his fear, continued in a low, serious tone, outlining the seemingly impossible options. "Okay, Adam, if you don't have the equipment on site… then we have only two ways to get it. Option one: we somehow try to buy or rent it from Green Refinery or one of their subsidiaries." He scoffed bitterly.

  "Which is practically impossible. They'd never sell or lease essential equipment to a potential competitor, especially not one operating mysteriously on their doorstep. They'd block us at every turn."

  He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Option two: we import the equipment from abroad. From manufacturers in other countries." He shook his head again.

  "That takes massive funding upfront – millions, maybe tens of millions, just for a basic setup. Plus, importing heavy industrial machinery like that requires complicated permits, government approvals, customs clearances… processes that Green Refinery and their political allies," – he gave Adam a pointed look, reminding him of the mayor –

  "could easily delay, obstruct, or block entirely. Getting those approvals, especially quickly and quietly? It's next to impossible for an unknown startup with no connections."

  Kim’s words hung heavy in the air, painting a grim picture of insurmountable obstacles. The challenge seemed designed to crush Adam's hopes before they even got started. If they couldn't even get the oil out of the ground, the whole plan was dead on arrival.

  But instead of looking discouraged or defeated by Kim's bleak assessment, Adam simply smiled. It was a calm, confident, almost serene smile that seemed completely out of place given the impossible situation Kim had just described. It was the smile of someone holding a hidden ace.

  "No, Mr. Kim," Adam said, his tone steady, smooth, almost casual, as if dismissing a minor concern. "You don't need to worry about that part. I told you. I've already taken care of it. All the necessary equipment… it's already set up on the site. Ready to go."

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  The lie felt heavy on his tongue, but he delivered it with unwavering conviction. He had to.

  Kim’s eyes widened in genuine shock. His jaw literally dropped open slightly. "You… you did?!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief. "Already? How? When?" He looked utterly baffled. Setting up drilling equipment was a major, visible, time-consuming operation. How could Adam have possibly done that already, seemingly overnight, without anyone noticing?

  Adam simply nodded, maintaining his serious, confident expression, though inside, a small flicker of guilt pricked at him. Lying to Kim, his potential partner, his first employee, didn't feel good. But it felt necessary.

  He couldn't risk Kim walking away now, not when he was so close to securing the expertise he needed. 'If Kim believes the foundation is already laid,' Adam rationalized internally, 'he'll stay committed. He'll focus on the next steps. The equipment… I'll figure out how to make it appear later. With my skill, I can. This lie buys us time.' It felt like a calculated risk, a necessary evil to keep the dream alive.

  Kim sighed deeply, leaning back hard in his chair. He covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes distant as he processed this new, startling piece of information. If the equipment was truly already in place, magically or mysteriously, then the biggest, most immediate logistical hurdle was… gone. It changed the equation significantly.

  After a few long moments of silent contemplation, absorbing this unexpected (and, to him, inexplicable) development, Kim lowered his hand. His voice dropped to a low, thoughtful tone, shifting focus to the remaining challenges.

  "Okay," Kim said slowly, accepting Adam's claim at face value for now, perhaps deciding not to question the 'how' too closely, given the other strangeness surrounding Adam. "Okay. If the equipment is somehow already there… then that means we only have two major problems left to solve immediately." He held up two fingers.

  "First," he continued, ticking off the first finger, "gathering manpower. We still need skilled people to operate that equipment, manage the site, handle the logistics. And we need to find them quickly, quietly, and ensure their loyalty. That won't be easy."

  He ticked off the second finger. "Second, and maybe even harder, is starting operations without attracting Green Refinery's attention. Because the moment they notice us pumping oil, the moment they realize there's a new player on their turf, they will come after us with everything they've got. They'll use lawyers, politicians, regulators, maybe even less… legal methods to crush us. And right now,"

  Kim emphasized, his gaze serious again, "we have absolutely zero legal backing, zero political connections, zero clout to defend ourselves against a giant like that. We'd be like an ant trying to fight an elephant."

  Adam listened carefully, nodding slowly, processing Kim's breakdown of the remaining obstacles. Manpower and secrecy. Kim was right; these were critical, dangerous challenges. His mind immediately started racing, thinking about solutions, about how his Copy & Paste skill might be leveraged, perhaps in ways Kim couldn't imagine.

  He knew establishing the operation on his land was the priority, but doing it silently, under the radar, was the key. How could they drill, store, and transport oil without anyone noticing, especially Green Refinery? It seemed impossible.

  But before Adam could even begin to formulate a strategy in his head, Kim suddenly shifted topics, his expression lightening slightly, perhaps needing a break from the heavy strategic thinking.

  "Okay, enough doom and gloom for a minute," Kim said with a slight sigh. "On a lighter note… this company you're founding, the one I'm apparently going to be CEO of… have you even given it a name yet?" The question, simple and practical, caught Adam completely off guard.

  A name? He’d been so focused on the big picture – the land, the oil, the refinery, the revenge – that he hadn't actually stopped to think about something as basic as a company name. He blinked, his mind scrambling. He couldn't admit he hadn't even thought of it; that would make him look unprepared, unprofessional.

  He remained silent for several long seconds, a thoughtful expression on his face as he quickly tried to come up with something. Something simple, memorable, maybe something that reflected his ambition, his determination to rise from the ashes. Fire… burning… power…

  Finally, with a slightly reluctant sigh, feeling a bit unsure of himself for the first time in the conversation, he said, "I was thinking… maybe… Fire Corporation." His voice was quiet, hesitant. It sounded a bit dramatic, maybe even childish, now that he said it out loud.

  Kim stared at him for a beat, then unexpectedly chuckled, a genuine sound of amusement this time. He shook his head slowly. "Fire Corporation?" he repeated, a grin spreading across his face.

  "Okay, yeah, that definitely sounds like something a fiery young kid full of ambition would come up with." He chuckled again. "It's a bit… intense. But you know what?" His grin widened.

  "I actually kind of like it. It's got energy. It's memorable. Fire Corporation. Okay." He extended his hand across the table again, his expression shifting back to business, but with a new spark of enthusiasm.

  "Well then, Mr. Founder of Fire Corporation," Kim said, his tone playfully formal, "let's talk compensation. How much are you planning to pay your first, and currently only, employee? Your CEO?"

  A surge of excitement and relief flooded through Adam. Kim liked the name? He was asking about salary? This meant he was truly on board! Winning Kim over, securing his expertise and commitment, felt like a massive victory, a crucial step forward. With a broad, genuine smile now, Adam reached across the table and shook Kim’s offered hand firmly.

  "Mr. Kim," Adam replied, his voice steady and filled with confidence again, ready to make the offer that would solidify their partnership. "I want to make you a serious, long-term commitment. I believe in rewarding talent and loyalty, especially given the challenges ahead. So, here's the deal: Until Fire Corporation becomes what they call a 'unicorn startup' – you know, valued at over a billion dollars – I will personally guarantee you an annual salary of two million dollars." He said the number calmly, evenly, as if it were the most natural, reasonable figure in the world.

  Kim's eyes widened again, just as they had when Adam first mentioned the figure hypothetically. Two million dollars. Annually. Guaranteed, essentially, until the company achieved astronomical success. The sheer size of the offer was staggering, almost unbelievable.

  "Are… are you actually serious?" Kim asked again, his voice tinged with shock, maybe even a little awe this time. "Two million? That's… that's a massive amount of money, Adam! More than most top CEOs make in established companies!" The disbelief was clear in his tone, but underneath it, Adam could sense the undeniable allure of such a life-changing sum.

  Adam simply smiled, a calm, knowing smile that radiated certainty. "Didn't I tell you?" he replied, his tone light, almost teasing, gently reminding Kim of his earlier claim. "I have no shortage of money. Funding is the least of our problems." His casual dismissal of such a huge financial commitment seemed designed to banish any lingering doubts Kim might have about his resources, even if it only deepened the mystery surrounding their origin.

  Kim studied Adam for a long, searching moment. He looked at the young man's confident eyes, his calm demeanor, the sheer audacity of the offer. It was crazy.

  Everything about this situation was crazy. But maybe… just maybe… crazy was exactly what he needed right now. Maybe this kid, with his mysterious resources and fierce determination, was actually onto something huge.

  And two million dollars a year while trying to achieve it? That kind of security, that kind of reward, was almost impossible to turn down, especially for someone who felt discarded and undervalued by his previous employer.

  Finally, a slow, decisive smile tugged at the corners of Kim’s mouth. The caution faded, replaced by a spark of adventurous optimism, maybe even excitement. "Alright then, Adam," Kim said, his voice firm now, accepting the reality, however strange it was. "If that's the serious offer, then I seriously accept. You've got yourself a CEO." His tone was now one of practical relief mixed with a clear commitment. He was in.

  With the deal struck, Kim immediately shifted into action mode. He stood up briskly from the table, the weary resignation gone, replaced by the sharp energy of a businessman ready to tackle a challenge.

  "Okay," he declared, already thinking ahead, "first things first. I'll start drafting the necessary company documentation tomorrow morning – registration, articles of incorporation, the works. We need Fire Corporation to legally exist. Then, I'll begin discreetly looking into human resources. We need to identify potential key hires – engineers, geologists, logistics people – individuals who are skilled, trustworthy, and maybe looking for a change from the status quo." His mind was already working, laying out the initial steps, taking charge.

  But just as he turned to leave the table, presumably to head straight to his own home or office to start working, he paused abruptly. He glanced back at Adam, who was still sitting, a look of quiet satisfaction on his face. A practical, suddenly remembered question appeared on Kim's face.

  "Wait a second," Kim said, frowning slightly again. "We agreed on the job, the salary, the company name… but in all this talk, you never actually told me where this land, this supposed oil reserve of yours… where the refinery you claim is already set up… where it actually is." The question hung in the air, simple, essential, and slightly probing.

  Adam couldn't help but laugh nervously – a short, startled sound. He had completely avoided that crucial detail again. In the excitement of securing Kim and finalizing the salary, the actual location had slipped his mind. He felt his cheeks flush slightly.

  "Oh… right. Sorry. That's kind of important, isn't it?" Adam said quickly, trying to cover his slight embarrassment. He grabbed a clean paper napkin from the table dispenser and fished a pen out of his bag. He quickly scribbled down the rough address or location description of his land parcel near the Green Valley forest. Then he added the landline number for the public payphone down the street from his remote apartment – the only somewhat reliable, untraceable way Kim could contact him for now. He slid the napkin across the table.

  "Here," Adam said. "This is the location of the land. Where the oil reserve is. And where the… uh… 'refinery' will be centered." He also pointed to the number. "And if you need to reach me urgently, this is my current contact number. It's a landline, more secure."

  Kim picked up the napkin, his eyes scanning the scribbled information carefully. He noted the remote location description near the forest. He nodded slowly, absorbing it.

  "Okay. Got it. Out in the sticks, as expected." He carefully folded the napkin and tucked it securely into his wallet. "Alright, Adam. I'll be in touch soon. Lots to do." Before leaving for real this time, Kim quickly scribbled his own personal cell phone number and email address on another napkin and handed it to Adam. "Here. This is how you can reach me directly. Call me anytime if something comes up."

  Adam took the napkin, nodding his thanks. "Will do, Mr. Kim. I look forward to building Fire Corporation with you." He pocketed the contact information.

  Kim gave him one last look – a mixture of lingering disbelief, cautious optimism, and professional determination – then turned and walked purposefully out of the restaurant, disappearing into the bustling city streets, his mind no doubt already tackling the immense challenges of launching a secret oil company from scratch.

  His departure left Adam alone at the table, the remnants of their shared meal and the small vial of crude oil the only physical evidence of the intense, high-stakes negotiation that had just concluded. Adam leaned back in his chair, letting out a long, slow breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Relief washed over him, followed quickly by a fresh wave of anxiety and excitement.

  He had done it. He had secured his first crucial ally, his CEO. He had navigated the difficult conversation, managed Kim's skepticism, and committed to an audacious partnership.

  The conversation had been eye-opening, terrifying in some ways. Kim's warnings about the ruthlessness of the business world, the power of Green Refinery, the dangers they faced – it was all sobering. Adam knew he had taken huge risks, told significant lies (especially about the equipment), and made enormous promises (that two million dollar salary!).

  The stakes felt incredibly high. The path forward was littered with potential pitfalls. But Kim's acceptance, his willingness to take the plunge despite the obvious risks, gave Adam a powerful surge of hope. It meant his plan wasn't entirely insane. It meant he had a chance, however slim, to actually build something, to fight back.

  He thought about the challenges Kim had laid out – manpower, equipment (which Adam really needed to figure out how to copy or create soon), secrecy, competition, lack of connections. Each one felt like a mountain to climb. But he wasn't climbing alone anymore. He had Kim, with his experience and drive. And Adam had his secret weapon, the Copy & Paste skill, the ultimate cheat code that Kim knew nothing about.

  A determined glint returned to Adam's eyes. The business world might be a jungle, but maybe, just maybe, he was bringing a new kind of predator into it.

  He had survived John Walker's physical attack; he would learn to survive the corporate attacks too. He would be smarter, tougher, more cautious. He would learn the rules of this ruthless game, and maybe, with Kim's help and his own secret advantage, he could even learn to rewrite them.

  He sat there for a few more minutes, letting the reality sink in, the enormity of the task ahead settling onto his shoulders. But it wasn't a crushing weight anymore. It felt… purposeful.

  He had made a dangerous offer, yes, but it was the first real step towards reclaiming his future, towards building the empire he envisioned, towards getting the revenge he craved.

  The game was on. And Adam, despite the bruises, the lies, and the dangers, was ready to play. He finished his water, left enough cash on the table to cover the bill and a generous tip, and walked out of the restaurant, his mind already strategizing his next move.